Tool Test: Lie-Nielsen’s Thin-plate Tenon Saw

The more I saw by hand, the more I prefer a thin sawplate. Having a thinner wafer of steel makes the saw easier to push – that’s because there’s less weight and the tool has to remove less wood.

There is, of course, a downside. Thin sawplates are a little more fragile so you need to keep the tool away from the ham-handed. But in even slightly skilled hands, I think you’ll find thin saws are a revelation.

Lie-Nielsen Toolworks has now started making a thin-plate version of its tenon saw, and it is one of the best tenon saws – old or new – that I’ve ever used.